Half Moon Ice Cream

BUSINESS PROFILE

Manus Hopkins is a Whitehorse- and Toronto-based journalist, musician and lover of heavy metal and cats.

HALF MOON ICE CREAM

2020 may not have seemed like the best year to launch a business, but Hannah Warrington’s Half Moon Ice Cream is thriving through the pandemic

What’s Up Yukon recently caught up with Hannah Warrington, who owns and operates Half Moon Ice Cream, after profi ling her business last summer just as she had started up. A year later still in the pandemic, nobody would have blamed an independent business owner like Warrington for throwing in the towel, or at least taking a break to wait things out, but with a supportive community behind her, the ice cream maker has been able to stick it out, and even return this summer with some impressive upgrades.

“Last year I was renting commercial kitchens and selling my ice cream from a bicycle trailer,” said Warrington. “This year, I have upgraded to a full-sized food trailer; all the ice cream is made there. It has been great to have my own permitted kitchen.”

Warrington can be found at the Fireweed Community Market on Thursdays, but has also started taking some slots at the Waterfront Wharf, and more recently, at Rotary Park.

“Having more hours of operation outside of the market has helped Half Moon to be discovered by more people,” she said.

For Warrington, hardly any two work days ever look the same. The act of making the ice cream can be a two to three-day process, as she explained, so each week can be quite varied. AT the Fireweed Community Market, she sells dipped bars, but on other days, she sells ice cream by the scoop with homemade gluten-free waffl e cones she has made the morning of. Warrington admitted it’s a lot of work for one person, but that doesn’t stifl e her passion for her craft.

“Being a one-person operation has its challenges, but it is also rewarding,” she said. “I am proud of what I have been able to create.”

One thing that sets Warring-

Hannah Warrington serves customers at the Fireweed Community Market

ton apart in the ice cream game is her use of interesting fl avours—she even said coming up with exciting fl avours is her favourite part of the business. Even the more typical fl avours have interesting elements, like the chocolate dipped bars which have pumpkin seeds. Warrington is always looking for inspiration for new things to try, and usually fi nds it in other local businesses.

“I often get inspiration for new fl avours by walking through local shops, the Fireweed Market, the Fruit Stand—I look for quality ingredients that are available and then I go from there,” she said. “All the new fl avours I make have made it to customers. I haven’t been shy about switching up the offerings each week. As for new ones I am trying right now, I am working on having more vegan options.”

When it comes to what’s next for Half Moon Ice Cream, Warrington is tight-lipped, but customers can expect to see some exciting new developments in the near future, and even the return of some old favourite items.

“For now, I am keeping any future plans under my hat,” Warrington said. “I will say though, I am planning to bring back the Half Moon Ice Cream sandwiches in the future—I know they are missed!

You can fi nd Half Moon Ice Cream at the Fireweed Community Market, the Waterfront Wharf and Rotary Park. n

PHOTO: Manus Hopkins

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